Inspiration from chemical photography: accelerated photoconversion of AgCl to functional silver nanoparticles mediated by DNAf

摘要

We demonstrate a facile approach for converting AgCl to functional silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via photoreduction in the presence of DNA. The resulting AgNPs are biofunctionalized, and exhibit photostable luminescence and DNA-specific Raman signatures, showing high potential for use in DNA-directed recognition and advanced bioimaging. Photoconversion of silver halide to functional silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is of both scientific curiosity and technological importance. The conventional wisdom that colloidal nanoparticles are generally prepared in homogeneous solutions has, however, prevented many researchers from exploring silver halide as a precursor to AgNPs due to its poor solubility in almost all common solvents. Silver halides, such as AgCl, are highly photosensitive materials routinely used in chemical photography.